| The symbolic representation of Magpies range from the sorrowful and annoying to joyful and chattery. Magpies as a species are one of the most intelligent birds, the expansion of its nidopallium is approximately the same in relative size as is found in chimpanzees, orangutans and humans. There’s an old english rhyme that goes; One for Sorrow, Two for Mirth, Three for a Wedding, Four for Death and so on. There are several different reinterpretations of this poem, but they all start with One for Sorrow. That association is based on actual magpie behavior, because magpies only forage together when the weather is good. Personally, I identify with that loneliness and separation from the flock. As a born and raised Montanan, being so far away from home and in a drastically different environment, has left a feeling of homesickness and longing inside me. The Bitterroot Flower is not only the state flower, but also is found primarily in the mountains of the Bitterroot valley. The hands reaching down in place of claws is a representation of the magpie’s intelligence, along with the gentle gesture is meant to communicate the love and caring I have for my home. The flower in combination with the lone bird, is an accurate symbolic representation of my personal feelings of grief and homesickness. |
